The World First Aid Day has been celebrated annually all around the globe for 13 years. The day acts as an chance to celebrate first aid and raise awareness about how important it is understand basic first aid which can save millions of lives the world over. This year, the World First Aid Day theme was ‘first aid and road safety’ acknowledging the huge safety issues surrounding the road.

World First Aid Day, which was introduced by the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement in 2000, is an opportunity to raise awareness about a life saving act. This year on World First Aid Day, the theme is ‘First aid and road safety’.

Road traffic accidents have become a major global killer. Today, there is one road fatality every 30 seconds and more than 50 per cent of deaths from traffic accidents occur in the first few minutes after the crash. Yet much of this loss of life is preventable. First aid training educates citizens on accident and injury prevention, and gives them the skills to respond immediately to both major or minor emergencies.

This year the Red Cross Red Crescent is asking for legislative provisions to make first aid training compulsory for every driving licence candidate. It is also essential to introduce first aid training at all stages of a person’s life – at home, in school, at the workplace. First aid training should be accessible to everyone, not just to those who can afford it.

First aid saves lives. It is for everyone, everywhere.

The International Red Cross and Red Crescenet share some key examples of road safety in action around the world during the day from countries that implemented road safety action. 

Last September, the Slovak Red Cross first-aid team took part in a successful training course in the neighbouring Czech Republic. Organized by the Czech Red Cross youth, it aimed to improve practical and theoretical first-aid skills.

Throughout the weekend, participants had the opportunity to experience a range of realistic situations, both indoors and outdoors. One particularly challenging evening focused on how to handle injuries that could result from a road traffic accident. The weekend ended well, and with their training still fresh in their minds, the team headed back home along the motorway. They did not know, however, that their training would be put to good use so soon. 

Good morning, Tanzania! On your dial today, a little music, some chit chat, and how to save a life! For listeners more accustomed to the latest tunes, Radio Victory’s Usalama Wetu programme – Kiswahili for “Our Safety” – might not be quite what they had expected with their breakfast.

The programme, broadcast in conjunction with the Tanzania Red Cross National Society, is proving to be a vital component in the battle to tackle road accidents and prevent deaths in the northern Tanzanian region of Mara.  

Every year, nearly 100 people are killed on the region’s roads. The radio show, which is broadcast to thousands of people in northern Tanzania, is part of the urgent action being taken to solve the problem. With hard-hitting messages such as ‘driving + phone = death’, the charismatic host talks passionately about the need to follow the rules of the road with his guests Ngodoki Chupa, the Red Cross branch manager of Mara, and two local policemen. 

Read more stories at the IFRC’s Website.

The 4th Annual NOYS Teen Distracted Driving Prevention Summit will kick off tomorrow (18th September 2013) with more than 150 youth and adults from across the country meeting for impactful presentation, interactive training activities and creative ways to fight distracted driving amongst young people. The event is taking place in Washington DC, USA and takes place over three days.

The Summit, sponsored by AT&T and State Farm®, will provide teens an opportunity to hear from distracted driving crash victims and national transportation officials, and meet with exhibitors who will showcase products and information using the latest technology to improve traffic safety and eliminate distracted driving. At the conclusion of the Summit, the teens will use what they learned to create initiatives to prevent distracted driving in their hometowns.

Traffic crashes are the leading killer of teens. Teens overwhelming use of cell phones coupled with their driving inexperience makes for a deadly combination. In fact, drivers under the age of 20 have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes.According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,331 people were killed in vehicle crashes in 2011 involving a distracted driver, up from 3,267 fatalities in 2010. That same year, an additional 387,000 people were injured in crashes involving a distracted driver.

A recent Centers for Disease Control study showed that nearly half of all U.S. high school students aged 16 years or older admitted to sending a text or email while driving.

Our CORE Group Representative for North America – Ms Emily Reynolds will be attending the event in her work with NOYS. She told us,

“Attendees have an opportunity to attend, exhibit, host workshops and network with hundreds of industry leaders that are working to address distracted driving on the local, state, and national levels. Be a part of this nationwide effort to work with youth to support distracted driving prevention efforts and help save the lives of youth on the roads! 

Youth teams will be selected from around the country through an application process to attend the 2013 Teen Distracted Driving Prevention Summit and lead year-long efforts in their community.  After the Summit, they will develop, implement, and support distracted driving prevention efforts in their local communities and host a Teen Distracted Driving Prevention Summit in their state”.

Breakdown of the event includes:

• Wednesday September 18th: Travel day and evening youth meet and greet (evening youth activities will be youth only)
• Thursday September 19th: Youth training and AT&T National Day of Action event (youth training will be youth only; All are welcome to attend the AT&T National Day of Action)
• Friday September 20th: Teen Distracted Driving Summit (speakers, exhibitors and activities, All are welcome to attend)